Post by maddogfagin on Jul 19, 2018 7:05:08 GMT

Ritchie Blackmore on his big night outThe guitarist who invented heavy metal gets ready for a special evening at the Glenside’s Keswick Theatre.By A.D. Amorosi Published : July 18, 2018

Catching up with Ritchie Blackmore. Photo by Michael Keel

What’s left to do for an encore after you have spent one decade inventing a musical form (heavy metal with Deep Purple), then another 10 years-or-so refining it, making it louder and more artful (Rainbow with the late Ronnie James Dio)? If you’re British thunder god guitarist and epic songwriter Ritchie Blackmore, you do something truly revolutionary. You junk your Fender Stratocaster and Marshall stacks for a nearly exclusive relationship with an acoustic guitar and (mostly) quietude, collaborate with the woman you love (his wife of 10 years, singer-lyricist Candice Night), drag out the lutes and harps, and dress up in era-appropriate costume for the crinkly Renaissance music of Blackmore's Night, who play a big gig at Glenside’s Keswick Theatre on July 19.

“When we first started this ensemble, it was as an escape from rock n' roll - especially for my husband - and the corporate world that it had become at that time; a much different place than the one Ritchie got into in 1968,” says Night from the couple’s home/studio complex in upstate New York. “Individuality and creativity was key when he first got in the game. You could tell the difference between Cream, Jethro Tull and Deep Purple. Fast-forward 30 years and a time where he was reforming Rainbow, and the labels were asking for tapes, giving him notes; and thumbs-down on his creative input.”

When Blackmore and Night began writing their own material in 1997, it was strictly for themselves. Oddly enough, what they both had a fondness for was ancient, world and Celtic folk music, and worked from that inspiration to craft new music that benefits from Renaissance school influences, arrangements and melodies. “I just followed my heart,” says Blackmore, quietly. “It is simple to take a melody of medieval times and create an inversion of, or an interpretation that may be of a more modern sensibility. It’s a way of playing that is surpassingly acceptable to the modern ear. Even though we are still playing old instruments like the hurdy-gurdy and such, we enjoying play around with the arrangements, so that we meet audiences half way.”

Ask Blackmore if playing music with deep elements of quiet and silence has something to do with artistic evolution or personal maturation, and he considered his next response deeply. “I don’t believe in that evolution, I believe in spontaneity. I wake up and play whatever I want to play I have no directive. That’s rarer than you think.”

Along with changing (most of) his signature style to accommodate the intricate delicacy and quietude of Renaissance-era music, the legendarily foreboding Blackmore now seems more approachable, and dare I say, funny.

“I find the variety of it (Renaissance music) very pleasing and opening; so much more than rock n’ roll, and only doing heavy riffs and such,” says Blackmore. “As much as I love that crunching sound, and to play that way… this other way is disciplined, and open to quiet. Having played classical before metal, I was always aware of such music and such tone. Renaissance music goes beyond just turning up the amps. Playing acoustic music such as this I very unforgiving. It’s worse than being on stage and playing in only in your underwear.”

The pair not only continued to joke and inform throughout the interview (Night reminded longtime listeners that as far back as Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water,” he started incorporating medieval modal scales for that foreboding sound), Blackmore gave a shout out to Piffaro, The Renaissance Band, the Philadelphia-based early music ensemble, who has, on occasion, joined Blackmore’s Night on stage during past Keswick Theatre shows. “This is not an easy music to play, as it truly takes deeps dedication to its history and its form, as well as developing its instinct ” says Blackmore. “But it is rewarding, And, surprisingly, a hell-of-a-lot of fun.”

Post by maddogfagin on Jan 16, 2019 7:12:07 GMT

Throughout his career with Rainbow and beyond, Ritchie Blackmore helped define what it was to be a guitarist

Good - albums worth exploring

Blackmore’s Night: Shadow Of The Moon (Edel, 1997)

If Blackmore had wanted to make easy money, he’d have stuck with Purple, or called Ronnie James Dio. Instead he followed his heart by forming a new group with his then-girlfriend Candice Night, and playing the music he loved most.

The first Blackmore’s Night album was a radical left turn, a blend of Renaissance-inspired folk and modern new-age music. But the guitar hero of old resurfaced on the title track, an acoustic-driven tour de force. And the rollicking Play Minstrel Play, with Ian Anderson on flute, has a sense of uninhibited joy. An astonishing transformation.

Blackmore’s Night: The Village Lanterne (SPV, 2006)

The days when he used to smash up a Fender Strat on stage are long gone, but at no point in the last 17 years has Blackmore ever lost touch with his rock roots. Across the eight original studio albums he’s made with Blackmore’s Night are new interpretations of old Rainbow songs, and covers of Jethro Tull’s Rainbow Blues and Uriah Heep’s Lady In Black.

On fifth album The Village Lanterne, he incorporated the Purple classic Child In Time into a boisterous folk jig, and also reworked Street Of Dreams. These help make this the best Blackmore’s Night album.

“The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the greatest intention” ― Kahlil Gibran

Post by steelmonkey on Jan 16, 2019 23:54:03 GMT

After all these years, an 'of a sudden' as it happens with older people...I made the connection between Richie's old band name, Rainbow...and his decision to cover 'Rainbow Blues'. Better late than never, I guess

rabey: Thanks for the interest. Unfortunately because Ian/Tull is doing his own book when I sent a request to find John I got stonewalled, even though I have a signed contract by Ian from 2013 stating I was doing a DVD version of The book. I also have had troubleMay 7, 2019 23:11:47 GMT

rabey: I guess after 5 years Ian forgot this even existed. Imean, he never even listed my book with all the other books that have been out of print for decades, yet mine and Tim S still have books in print and we're not mentioned.May 7, 2019 23:13:11 GMT

rabey: I just get the impression that this AND having just dealt with Tull are all they care about really and it peeves me when the truth is when I first got my original contract with a US publisher to write the book with quotes on 3 other books on ELP,Crimson,May 7, 2019 23:21:53 GMT

rabey: and YES, I contacted both Martin and Dave from AND and offered involvement in writing and photography. but Dave said no interest and martin was happy to get his photos printed just for credit. Later Daves book arrived and martin wanted 100 bucks a shot.May 7, 2019 23:25:00 GMT

rabey: Anyway, The publisher refused the cost of photos, Martin wrote the only negative review of the book in print except for Amazon where a few stinkers stalled it's movement, but basically there was nothing advertising the book outside the UK. May 7, 2019 23:29:01 GMT